Children | The Guardianhttp://www.theguardian.com/society/children
Latest news and features from theguardian.com, the world's leading liberal voiceen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2015Tue, 31 Mar 2015 18:13:42 GMT2015-03-31T18:13:42Zen-gbGuardian News and Media Limited or its affiliated companies. All rights reserved. 2015The Guardianhttp://assets.guim.co.uk/images/guardian-logo-rss.c45beb1bafa34b347ac333af2e6fe23f.pnghttp://www.theguardian.com
My hot tips for parents with a fat kid: feed them fun, kindness and dignityhttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/31/tips-parents-fat-kid-unable-recognise-obesity
<p>Parents may not be able to recognise that their child is obese, according to a new study. Well that’s two fewer people making their offspring feel like a failure</p><p>We live in a culture where every inch of our physicality – every curve, pound, bulge, bone – in both public and private life, is obsessively monitored, catalogued, critiqued, and leveraged for cash. The worst thing you can be is always fat, the best thing you can be is never fat, and the richest thing you can be is formerly fat with a weight-loss book deal. So it’s almost alien to imagine that any human being on earth wouldn’t recognise a fat person when they see one. But, according to <a href="http://bjgp.org/content/65/633/e234">a new study published in the British Journal of General Practice</a>, one demographic group struggles with just that blindspot. That group is parents, and it happens solely when they’re looking at their own fat children.</p><p>Researchers <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/30/parents-of-obese-children-unable-to-recognise-child-is-overweight">studied almost 3,000 families in the UK</a>, categorising children by BMI as “normal weight, overweight (above the 85th percentile), or very overweight (ie equivalent to obese in the US, above the 95th percentile).” They then asked parents to guess which category applied to their kids.</p><p>Of the 369 kids who were very overweight, only four parents thought they were.</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/30/parents-of-obese-children-unable-to-recognise-child-is-overweight">Obesity: parents unable to recognise if child is overweight</a> </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/31/tips-parents-fat-kid-unable-recognise-obesity">Continue reading...</a>Parents and parentingFamilyLife and styleObesitySocietyHealth & wellbeingChildrenTue, 31 Mar 2015 16:19:49 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/31/tips-parents-fat-kid-unable-recognise-obesityPhotograph: StockbyteStop trying to make your kids thin and focus on making them healthy.Photograph: StockbyteStop trying to make your kids thin and focus on making them healthy.Lindy West2015-03-31T16:19:49ZThere is no shortcut to protect children from violent video games | Nathan Ditumhttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/31/no-shortcut-children-violent-video-games-parents-hysteria
Age ratings and threatening parents with police intervention aren’t the answer. Parents need to know what their children are playing and judge for themselves<p>At last! Another reason for everyone to get over-excited about video games. Thanks, headteachers’ group from Cheshire that sent a brick-subtle letter to parents threatening the involvement of the police and social services if their children are allowed access to <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/29/schools-parents-police-children-18-rated-games" title="">violent video games</a>. This is terrific work.</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/29/schools-parents-police-children-18-rated-games">Headteachers ​threaten to contact police over children playing 18-rated games</a> </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/31/no-shortcut-children-violent-video-games-parents-hysteria">Continue reading...</a>GamesGame cultureTechnologyChildrenSocietyParents and parentingFamilyLife and styleUK newsTue, 31 Mar 2015 10:38:51 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/31/no-shortcut-children-violent-video-games-parents-hysteriaPhotograph: /PRCall of Duty 'gives players an encyclopaedic knowledge of real weapons from licensed manufacturers'.Photograph: /PRCall of Duty 'gives players an encyclopaedic knowledge of real weapons from licensed manufacturers'.Nathan Ditum2015-03-31T10:38:51ZLib Dems pledge £2bn extra funding for mental healthhttp://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/31/lib-dems-pledge-2bn-funding-mental-health
<p>Nick Clegg says equality for mental health provision is part of the liberal mission, with extra funding commitment featuring in party’s ‘manifesto for the mind’ </p><p>The Liberal Democrats have pledged more than &pound;2bn of extra funding for mental health over the next parliament on top of what has already been announced in the coalition budget. The plans will be outlined in the party’s “manifesto for the mind”, which they will launch on Tuesday.</p><p>The Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, said that equality for mental health was the “liberal mission” and that the party had secured more than &pound;1bn in the coalition budget for mental health services for children and young people. “But we cannot and must not rest there,” he said.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/31/lib-dems-pledge-2bn-funding-mental-health">Continue reading...</a>Liberal DemocratsNick CleggMental healthGeneral election 2015NHSHealthPoliticsUK newsSocietyConservativesChildrenTax and spendingMon, 30 Mar 2015 23:01:01 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/mar/31/lib-dems-pledge-2bn-funding-mental-healthPhotograph: Steve Parsons/PANick Clegg talking to the media in Solihull. The Liberal Democrat leader said he had been campaigning for parity for mental health since he went into politics.Photograph: Steve Parsons/PANick Clegg talking to the media in Solihull. The Liberal Democrat leader said he had been campaigning for parity for mental health since he went into politics.Frances Perraudin2015-03-30T23:01:01ZIndia moves to speed up adoptionhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/30/india-delhi-speed-adoption-orphans
New child welfare minister pledges to improve ‘shameful’ record on adoption – with more than 30 million orphans estimated in country<p>When Shreya Roy applied to adopt an orphan in Delhi in 2012, she was told the wait could be at least three years – if she was lucky.</p><p>“We called about 25 children’s adoption homes in the city. They kept saying, ‘There are no babies,’” said Roy, 35, a public relations professional. “It just did not make sense. Just look around – there are so many abandoned and poor babies.”</p><p>People have to wait for three to four years to adopt. That is inexcusable</p><p>It is just a matter of patience, you wait it out no matter how frustrating and hopeless it seems</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/30/india-delhi-speed-adoption-orphans">Continue reading...</a>IndiaSouth and Central AsiaWorld newsAdoptionChildrenSocietyMon, 30 Mar 2015 21:00:07 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/30/india-delhi-speed-adoption-orphansPhotograph: Sam Panthaky/GettyA nun assists orphans with their studies at Shishu Bhavan, orphanage for discarded babies in Ahmedabad.Photograph: Sam Panthaky/GettyA nun assists orphans with their studies at Shishu Bhavan, orphanage for discarded babies in Ahmedabad.Photograph: Sam Panthaky/AFPProspective parents in India are stymied by complicated rules and endless delays. Photograph: Sam Panthaky/AFPPhotograph: Sam Panthaky/AFPProspective parents in India are stymied by complicated rules and endless delays. Photograph: Sam Panthaky/AFPRama Lakshmi2015-03-30T21:00:07ZBrain development in children could be affected by poverty, study showshttp://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/mar/30/brain-development-in-children-could-be-affected-by-poverty-study-shows
<p>Scans show that brain regions crucial for the development of language, memory and reasoning skills tend to be smaller in those from poorer backgrounds</p><p>Brain scans of children and young adults have revealed that specific brain regions tend to be smaller in those from poorer backgrounds than those born into wealthier families.<br /></p><p>The effects were most striking among the poorest families who took part in the study, where even modest changes in wages could have a significant impact on the structure of the children’s brains.<br /></p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/mar/30/brain-development-in-children-could-be-affected-by-poverty-study-shows">Continue reading...</a>ScienceNeuroscienceEducationChildrenHealthPovertySocietySocial exclusionMon, 30 Mar 2015 15:13:57 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/mar/30/brain-development-in-children-could-be-affected-by-poverty-study-showsPhotograph: Jeff Morgan/AlamyPupils in a classroom. Researchers hope that targeted interventions will help to boost brain growth in children who need it most.Photograph: Jeff Morgan/AlamyPupils in a classroom. Researchers hope that targeted interventions will help to boost brain growth in children who need it most.Ian Sample, science editor2015-03-30T15:13:57ZParents! Focus less on worrying about Minecraft and more on understanding ithttp://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/30/parents-worry-about-children-minecraft
<p>Millions of kids are obsessed with Mojang’s crafting game, but understanding it rather than fearing it is a good first step for parents</p><p>A lot of people are getting hot under the collar about the BBC’s article on Minecraft, children and parenting, written by journalist Jolyon Jenkins.</p><p><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-32051153">Should parents ever worry about Minecraft?</a> asks whether Minecraft is entirely healthy for kids, from addiction and lessening interest in the real world through to the prospect of “children being digitally mugged” by other players.</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/oct/08/minecraft-movies-youtube-mojang-licensing">Minecraft movie will be 'large-budget' but unlikely to arrive before 2017</a> </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2014/nov/24/minecraft-youtube-videos-mojang-views">Minecraft YouTube videos have been watched 47bn times</a> </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/29/schools-parents-police-children-18-rated-games">Headteachers ​threaten to contact police over children playing 18-rated games</a> </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/04/minecraft-creator-notch-will-always-be-a-hero-to-me-he-gave-my-autistic-son-a-voice">Minecraft's creator will always be a hero to me, he gave my autistic son a voice</a> </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/30/parents-worry-about-children-minecraft">Continue reading...</a>MinecraftChildren's techGamesGame cultureChildrenTechnologyCultureMon, 30 Mar 2015 11:53:29 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/mar/30/parents-worry-about-children-minecraftPhotograph: Voisin/Phanie/RexChildren love Minecraft, but is that something to worry about?Photograph: Voisin/Phanie/RexChildren love Minecraft, but is that something to worry about?Stuart Dredge2015-03-30T11:53:29ZSyria's lost generation: report counts cost of collapse in education systemhttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/30/half-of-child-refugees-from-syria-out-of-education-report-save-the-children
<p>Save the Children says school enrolment has fallen to 50% and is much lower in areas worst affected by conflict; urgent international action is needed</p><p>Karim has not been to school in over two years. Instead he chops wood to help his family survive.</p><p>“I can’t go to school as my family needs to eat so I work with my father and my brother instead,” the 11-year-old, who lives in a camp in northern Syria near the Turkish border, told human rights workers. “The axe is very heavy.”</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/mar/12/young-syrian-refugees-give-up-education-jordan-work">Young Syrian refugees give up hopes of education in Jordan | Sam Jones</a> </p><p>It’s the largest humanitarian tragedy of our time</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/30/half-of-child-refugees-from-syria-out-of-education-report-save-the-children">Continue reading...</a>SyriaRefugeesBashar al-AssadWorld newsMiddle East and North AfricaCharitiesEducationChildrenAidMon, 30 Mar 2015 11:48:42 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/30/half-of-child-refugees-from-syria-out-of-education-report-save-the-childrenPhotograph: Khalil Ashawi/Save the Children11-year-old Karim, who lives and works in a camp for displaced people close to the border with Turkey.Photograph: Khalil Ashawi/Save the Children11-year-old Karim, who lives and works in a camp for displaced people close to the border with Turkey.Photograph: Muhammad Hamed/ReutersA Syrian refugee walks with her children at the Zaatari refugee camp in Mafraq, Jordan, near the border with Syria.Photograph: Muhammad Hamed/ReutersSyrian refugee children undergo training in taekwondo at the Zaatari refugee camp.Photograph: Matthew Aslett/Demotix/CorbisSyrian refugee children in the Bekaa Valley in 2013.Photograph: Matthew Aslett/Demotix/CorbisSyrian refugee children in the Bekaa Valley in 2013.Photograph: Matthew Aslett/Demotix/CorbisPhotograph: Matthew Aslett/Demotix/CorbisKareem Shaheen in Beirut2015-03-30T11:48:42ZHeadteachers ​threaten to contact police over children playing 18-rated gameshttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/29/schools-parents-police-children-18-rated-games
<p>Group of 16 schools in Cheshire say allowing children to play games containing unsuitable levels of violence and sexual content is neglectful</p><p>Headteachers have warned parents that they will report them to the police and social services for neglect if they allow their children to play computer games rated for over-18s.</p><p>The warning was issued by the Nantwich Education Partnership, a group of 15 primary schools and one secondary academy in Cheshire, after it was discovered that some children had been playing or watching games that contain unsuitable levels of violence and sexual content.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/29/schools-parents-police-children-18-rated-games">Continue reading...</a>Child protectionSchoolsTeachingYoung peopleGamesCall of DutyGrand Theft AutoUK newsSocietyEducationTechnologyChildrenParents and parentingLife and styleFamilyCultureSun, 29 Mar 2015 10:21:17 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/29/schools-parents-police-children-18-rated-gamesPhotograph: APA scene from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.Photograph: APA scene from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3.Nadia Khomami2015-03-29T10:21:17ZMeningitis B vaccine added to UK child immunisation schemehttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/29/uk-first-meningitis-b-vaccine
<p>Government reaches deal with GlaxoSmithKline on price of Bexsero, which was recommended by vaccination advisers a year ago</p><p>All babies in the UK will soon have a potentially life-saving vaccine against meningitis B under a landmark deal, the health secretary has announced.</p><p>Jeremy Hunt said Britain would become the first country in the world with a nationwide meningitis B vaccination programme, after the government reached an agreement with the drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline (GSK).</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/29/uk-first-meningitis-b-vaccine">Continue reading...</a>MeningitisVaccines and immunisationHealthSocietyUK newsChildrenGlaxoSmithKlineBusinessPharmaceuticals industrySun, 29 Mar 2015 09:37:19 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/29/uk-first-meningitis-b-vaccinePhotograph: David Cheskin/PAThe drug will be part of the national childhood immunisation scheme, with babies receiving the first vaccine at two months, followed by two further doses.Photograph: David Cheskin/PAThe drug will be part of the national childhood immunisation scheme, with babies receiving the first vaccine at two months, followed by two further doses.Press Association2015-03-29T09:37:19ZBringing up baby: new hope for troubled teenage mothershttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/29/teenage-mothers-and-family-nurse-programme
For young mothers from chaotic and troubled backgrounds, coping with a baby is incredibly tough. Yvonne Roberts reports on the innovative programme that helps them grow from teens into parents<p>Noon on a cold winter’s day in Manchester, and Emma, 19, sits deep in an armchair. She is dressed in a number of layers including her pyjamas, clutching a hot-water bottle in an effort to keep warm. The small terraced house, sparsely furnished, is colder inside than out. On the television <em>The Real Housewives of New York</em> spills out affluence. Upstairs, having her daily nap, is Tia, aged 10 months. Emma [not her real name] receives &pound;145 a week in benefits – &pound;45 of which goes to pay off debts for a mobile phone and clothing. So heating is a luxury.</p><p>Emma is in college, studying hard, and has ambitions to be a social worker. She is organised, calm and, in spite of what looks like insuperable odds, she is defying the negative stereotypes usually associated with teenage mothers. “I used to be in a bad place,” she says. “But not any more. I know where I’m going now.” Emma was in care for several years, attended a number of schools, spent time in a pupil referral unit for disruptive behaviour, and by 15 had a problem with alcohol. “My friend used to smash the bottle so I couldn’t drink any more,” she says. “I hardly bother at all now. That wouldn’t help Tia.”</p><p>By the age of seven she was caring for her three younger siblings. ‘The house was always full of strangers and mess’</p><p>I’d see friends on Facebook going out. I shouldn’t say it, but it was a struggle. I’m a young girl – I need a life</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/29/teenage-mothers-and-family-nurse-programme">Continue reading...</a>Teenage pregnancyParents and parentingChildrenNursing and midwiferyNursingSun, 29 Mar 2015 07:30:07 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/29/teenage-mothers-and-family-nurse-programmePhotograph: Gary Calton/ObserverPlaying and learning: family nurse Claire Reece with Emma and her daughter Tia.Photograph: Gary Calton/ObserverPlaying and learning: family nurse Claire Reece with Emma and her daughter Tia.Photograph: Alex Lake/ObserverTeamwork: Mia Wren (left), who heads the team at Portsmouth, with colleague Jacquie NursePhotograph: Alex Lake/ObserverTeamwork: Mia Wren (left), who heads the team at Portsmouth, with colleague Jacquie NursePhotograph: Alex Lake/Observer‘If he’s happy then I’m happy’: Leah, 19, with her son Layton. Photograph: Alex Lake for the ObserverPhotograph: Alex Lake/Observer‘If he’s happy then I’m happy’: Leah, 19, with her son Layton. Photograph: Alex Lake for the ObserverYvonne Roberts2015-03-29T07:30:07ZSaturday jobs ‘can damage exam grades for teenagers’http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/28/saturday-jobs-damage-exam-grades-teenagers
Part-time work cuts study time, may be damaging to GCSE grades and might reduce motivation in lessons, new research suggests<p>There was widespread praise for millionaire parents David and Victoria Beckham when it was revealed that they had sent their eldest son, Brooklyn, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/21/brooklyn-beckham-barista-real-life-super-rich" title="">to do a few weekend shifts in a west London coffee shop</a>. And Jamie Oliver won approval for insisting that he’ll be keeping his eldest two daughters “real” by encouraging them to work in his new pub on Saturdays.</p><p>However, new research suggests that teenagers who take on a Saturday job could be damaging their GCSE grades – an effect especially noticeable in girls – even while they earn extra cash they might spend on risky behaviours like drinking or smoking.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/28/saturday-jobs-damage-exam-grades-teenagers">Continue reading...</a>ChildrenExamsEducationLife and styleSocietyUK newsDavid BeckhamWork & careersStudentsJamie OliverSat, 28 Mar 2015 20:03:33 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/mar/28/saturday-jobs-damage-exam-grades-teenagersPhotograph: Gregg Deguire/WireImageBrooklyn Beckham has been doing weekend shifts in a west London coffee shop. Photograph: Gregg Deguire/WireImagePhotograph: Gregg Deguire/WireImageBrooklyn Beckham has been doing weekend shifts in a west London coffee shop. Photograph: Gregg Deguire/WireImageTracy McVeigh2015-03-28T20:03:33ZChildcare costs: the UK and Ireland are worst on pricehttp://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/mar/28/childcare-costs-uk-ireland-worst-on-price
<p>As nursery fees and childminder costs rise ever upwards, there are a number of types of help you could consider</p><p>It costs an average of &pound;115.45 a week in Britain to send a child under two to nursery part time (25 hours), or &pound;104.06 to pay for a childminder, according to figures from the Family and Childcare Trust. For children aged two and over, 25 hours costs an average of &pound;109.83 a week in a nursery and &pound;103.04 a week with a childminder. But those averages hide significant differences. Parents in England generally pay more than those in Wales and Scotland for all types of pre-school childcare, for example, and those in London pay top whack compared with those in Yorkshire and Humberside, who pay the least.<br /></p><p>In Britain, all three- and four-year-olds are entitled to free early education of up to 570 hours a year, amounting to 15 hours a week over 38 weeks in England; up to 600 hours a year in Scotland; and a minimum of 10 hours a week in Wales. In Northern Ireland only four-year-olds are entitled to free early education, which is restricted to 12.5 hours a week in the year before they start school, and only in term time.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/mar/28/childcare-costs-uk-ireland-worst-on-price">Continue reading...</a>ChildcareChildrenMoneySocietyFamily financesUK newsSat, 28 Mar 2015 07:00:11 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/mar/28/childcare-costs-uk-ireland-worst-on-pricePhotograph: Phanie/AlamySome employers offer schemes that save you money by reducing the amount of tax and national insurance contributions on some or all of your costs.Photograph: Phanie/AlamySome employers offer schemes that save you money by reducing the amount of tax and national insurance contributions on some or all of your costs.Jill Papworth2015-03-28T07:00:11ZI spend £9,000 a year on childcare – where does it all go?http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/mar/28/9000-childcare-parents-nursery-fees
<p>Parents could be forgiven for wondering why they have to pay so much. Now, one nursery has opened up its books – and they tell a fascinating story</p><ul><li><a href="http://theguardian.com/money/2015/mar/28/childcare-costs-uk-ireland-worst-on-price">Childcare costs: the UK and Ireland are worst on price</a></li></ul><p>Childcare for my two-year-old son costs &pound;9,000 a year for a nursery in a somewhat ramshackle old building in the east Midlands. Like many parents I wonder where on earth the money is going. But in a remarkable act of transparency, the nursery has thrown open its books, warts and all – and it is extraordinary to see where the cash really goes.</p><p>My son attends <a href="http://www.castlelanedaynursery.co.uk/index.php?ID=1">Castle Lane Day Nursery</a> in Market Harborough, Leicestershire, which is independently run by friends Vikki Underwood, 47, and Harriet Wakefield, 27, who took over the struggling business three years ago by borrowing &pound;10,000 each from “the bank of mum and dad”. The nursery only has an Ofsted rating of “satisfactory”, which may put off some parents. But I chose it because it was immediately obvious that staff morale is high and that they all care deeply for the 235 children on their books.</p><p>If we have four children in the baby unit we need two members of staff, which is not cost effective</p><p>Every snack or dish 'from a rice cake to lasagne' has to be labelled for all 14 allergens, and an alternative provided</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/mar/28/9000-childcare-parents-nursery-fees">Continue reading...</a>ChildcareMoneyChildrenFamily financesSocietyUK newsSat, 28 Mar 2015 07:00:10 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/mar/28/9000-childcare-parents-nursery-feesPhotograph: Castle Lane Day NurseryVikki Underwood (left) and Harriet Wakefield from Castle Lane Day NurseryPhotograph: Castle Lane Day NurseryVikki Underwood (left) and Harriet Wakefield from Castle Lane Day NurseryPhotograph: Castle Lane Day Nursery‘The few thousand pounds left over after salaries and expenses are invested back into the equipment for the toddlers’ play area.’ Photograph: Castle Lane Day NurseryPhotograph: Castle Lane Day Nursery‘The few thousand pounds left over after salaries and expenses are invested back into the equipment for the toddlers’ play area.’ Photograph: Castle Lane Day NurseryLily Canter2015-03-28T07:00:10ZI found my birth mother through the newspaper small adshttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/mar/28/i-found-my-birth-mother-through-the-newspaper-small-ads
Catherine Chanter was in her 50s when she decided to find her birth mother. Her persistence finally paid off<p>How do you find your mother? Let me count the ways. Agencies, internet, offices, registers. I&nbsp;had tried everything. The idea of advertising for your own mother had not occurred to me.</p><p>I was young when I found I had been blessed with a magic trick; a one liner I&nbsp;could deliver when I felt in danger of becoming invisible. “I am adopted.” The effect was always instantaneous. The next question was usually, “Do you know your birth parents?” to which the answer was no and I don’t want to. Not knowing brought advantages: for a child storyteller, it kept the fantastical plot lines open and these bestowed a certain mystery on an otherwise ordinary little girl; for a&nbsp;tricky adolescent, not knowing gave me a furious independence, riding the&nbsp;rapids, not moored to either bank; and not knowing or asking was always a safe state of affairs for me and my adoptive family – to continue the analogy, knowing would surely rock the boat. Deep down, I believed it a&nbsp;serious possibility that I might drown in the knowledge.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/mar/28/i-found-my-birth-mother-through-the-newspaper-small-ads">Continue reading...</a>FamilyLife and styleAdoptionChildrenSocietySat, 28 Mar 2015 06:00:14 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/mar/28/i-found-my-birth-mother-through-the-newspaper-small-adsPhotograph: Sarah Lee/GuardianCatherine Chanter: ‘In all the 50 years of speculation, it had never occurred to me that anyone had ever loved me enough to have named me’ Photograph: Sarah Lee for the GuardianPhotograph: Sarah Lee/GuardianCatherine Chanter: ‘In all the 50 years of speculation, it had never occurred to me that anyone had ever loved me enough to have named me’ Photograph: Sarah Lee for the GuardianCatherine Chanter2015-03-28T06:00:14ZSix-year-old girl abducted in Burnley found abandoned a few miles awayhttp://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/mar/27/six-year-old-girl-abducted-in-burnley-found-abandoned
<p>Child snatched from street by unknown man was discovered in distressed state by member of the public</p><p>A manhunt is under way in Lancashire after a six-year-old girl was abducted from a street in Burnley and then abandoned several miles away.</p><p>The girl, who has not been named, was riding her bike in Nairne Street when she was picked up by a man in a car and dropped off 3.5 miles (5.5km) away 20 minutes later.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/mar/27/six-year-old-girl-abducted-in-burnley-found-abandoned">Continue reading...</a>BurnleyUK newsCrimeChildrenChild protectionSocietyPoliceFri, 27 Mar 2015 17:59:19 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/mar/27/six-year-old-girl-abducted-in-burnley-found-abandonedPhotograph: Google MapsNairne Street in Burnley, from where the girl was snatched.Photograph: Google MapsNairne Street in Burnley, from where the girl was snatched.Helen Pidd Northern editor2015-03-27T17:59:19ZWe oldies aren’t the lucky ones. Children today have much better liveshttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/mar/27/we-oldies-arent-lucky-ones-children-today-have-much-better-lives
<p>Yes, they face online bullying, must pay for their education, and will be lucky if they get a job or buy a house. But they have the internet, better TV and face less sexism. Best of all, they are still young</p><p>With the election bribes being handed out to&nbsp;the elderly, I keep reading how spoiled, pampered and generally feather-bedded oldies are compared with my children’s generation. Pensioners are cashing in&nbsp;their annuities, gorging on the capital in their houses and using their generous pension funds to take endless sunshine cruises.</p><p>When the oldies were young, things were still hunky dory. For instance, my two older daughters are at university, for which they pay sizeable fees, whereas I&nbsp;(at 59, a proto-oldie) was educated for free at the London School of Economics. School, particularly for my 12-year-old, can be a results-driven grind while I&nbsp;didn’t get homework until I was 14.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/mar/27/we-oldies-arent-lucky-ones-children-today-have-much-better-lives">Continue reading...</a>FamilyLife and styleChildrenSocietyFri, 27 Mar 2015 13:30:08 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/mar/27/we-oldies-arent-lucky-ones-children-today-have-much-better-livesPhotograph: Stanislav Solntsev/Getty ImagesChildren have it a lot better than I didTim Lott2015-03-27T13:30:08ZYemen on brink of humanitarian crisis amid rising food shortages, says Unicefhttp://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/mar/27/yemen-major-humanitarian-crisis-food-shortages-malnutrition-unicef
<p>Fears grow for children in Arab world’s poorest nation as dwindling food supplies and lack of vaccines leave millions of people in need of assistance </p><p>Yemen could suffer a “major humanitarian crisis” within months if the international community does not urgently step up efforts to help the disintegrating Gulf state feed and vaccinate its children, <a href="http://www.unicef.org/">Unicef</a> has warned.<br /></p><p>The country, which is now <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/26/iran-saudi-proxy-war-yemen-crisis">on the verge of all-out civil war</a>, is the poorest nation in the Arab world, with 10 million people in need of food assistance and 8.4 million requiring healthcare services.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/mar/27/yemen-major-humanitarian-crisis-food-shortages-malnutrition-unicef">Continue reading...</a>Humanitarian responseAidGlobal developmentYemenMiddle East and North AfricaWorld newsHealthChildrenSaudi ArabiaWorld BankFri, 27 Mar 2015 12:47:33 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2015/mar/27/yemen-major-humanitarian-crisis-food-shortages-malnutrition-unicefPhotograph: Hamza Hendawi/APChildren play football in Aden, a port city primed for unrest. Unicef has expressed fears that progress on malnutrition and other issues affecting Yemeni children could be quickly undone.Photograph: Hamza Hendawi/APChildren play football in Aden, a port city primed for unrest. Unicef has expressed fears that progress on malnutrition and other issues affecting Yemeni children could be quickly undone.Sam Jones2015-03-27T12:47:33ZRaid universities to fund teachers in tough schools, urges Alan Milburnhttp://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/mar/26/fund-teachers-in-tough-schools-alan-milburn
<p>Social mobility champion calls for radical approach to closing the attainment gap between disadvantaged and better-off children</p><p>The government should plunder undergraduate tuition fees to fund a 25% pay rise for teachers willing to work in challenging schools, Alan Milburn, the government’s social mobility champion, has proposed.</p><p>Milburn, who chairs the social mobility and child poverty commission, said in a speech on Thursday that radical approaches were needed to close the educational attainment gap between disadvantaged children and their better-off classmates.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/mar/26/fund-teachers-in-tough-schools-alan-milburn">Continue reading...</a>SchoolsTeacher shortagesTeachingEducationUniversity fundingHigher educationSocial mobilitySocietyChildrenThu, 26 Mar 2015 19:46:11 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/mar/26/fund-teachers-in-tough-schools-alan-milburnPhotograph: Rui Vieira/PAExperienced teachers should be offered a 25% pay rise for agreeing to teach in challenging schools, says Alan Milburn.Photograph: Rui Vieira/PAExperienced teachers should be offered a 25% pay rise for agreeing to teach in challenging schools, says Alan Milburn.Richard Adams, education editor2015-03-26T19:46:11ZRotherham investigation expanded after 42 police named in abuse allegationshttp://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/mar/26/rotherham-investigation-42-police-named-abuse-allegations
<p>Independent Police Complaints Commission says it has complaints ranging from neglect of duty to suggestions of relationships with offenders</p><p>An investigation into how police handled child sexual exploitation in Rotherham has been expanded after a watchdog received complaints involving more than 100 allegations against 42 named officers.</p><p>The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) has been examining the actions of 10 officers involved in incidents highlighted by the Jay report, which described how at least 1,400 children were raped, trafficked and groomed in the South Yorkshire town between 1997 and 2013.</p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/mar/26/rotherham-investigation-42-police-named-abuse-allegations">Continue reading...</a>RotherhamChild protectionPolice and crime commissionersPoliceChildrenSocietyUK newsSheffieldLouise CaseySocial careThu, 26 Mar 2015 19:09:39 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/mar/26/rotherham-investigation-42-police-named-abuse-allegationsPhotograph: Christopher Thomond for the GuardianRotherham police station. At least 1,400 children were raped, trafficked and groomed in the South Yorkshire town between 1997 and 2013.Photograph: Christopher Thomond for the GuardianRotherham police station. At least 1,400 children were raped, trafficked and groomed in the South Yorkshire town between 1997 and 2013.Press Association2015-03-26T19:09:39ZPope faces protests by sex abuse board against bishop’s appointmenthttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/26/pope-faces-protests-by-sex-abuse-board-against-bishops-appointment
<p>Incredulity over Francis’s approval of Chilean bishop Juan Barros, who is alleged to have covered up for a notorious South American paedophile</p><p>Several members of Pope Francis’s sex abuse advisory board have expressed concern and incredulity over his decision <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/17/pope-francis-sexual-abuse-allegations-chile-bishop-barros">to appoint a Chilean bishop</a> to a diocese despite allegations that he covered up for the South American nation’s most notorious paedophile.</p><p>In interviews and emails with Associated Press, the experts have questioned the pope’s pledge to hold bishops accountable and keep children safe, given the record of Bishop Juan Barros in the case of the Rev Fernando Karadima.</p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/17/pope-francis-sexual-abuse-allegations-chile-bishop-barros">Pope's promise to tackle abuse tested by appointment of Chilean bishop</a> </p><p> <span>Related: </span><a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/feb/05/child-sex-abuse-pope-francis-clergy-bishops">Never try to cover up child sex abuse, Pope Francis tells clergy</a> </p> <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/26/pope-faces-protests-by-sex-abuse-board-against-bishops-appointment">Continue reading...</a>CatholicismPope FrancisChild protectionVaticanThe papacyWorld newsSocietyReligionChristianityChildrenChileAmericasThu, 26 Mar 2015 18:48:50 GMThttp://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/26/pope-faces-protests-by-sex-abuse-board-against-bishops-appointmentPhotograph: Zuma/RexPope Francis has pledged to hold bishops accountable and keep children safe.Photograph: Zuma/RexPope Francis has pledged to hold bishops accountable and keep children safe.Associated Press in Vatican City2015-03-26T18:48:50Z